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Research Case Study

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Table of Content

Background .............................................................................................................................................. 3
Project Objective ...................................................................................................................................... 3

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Background
The client, a utilities company in the UK, wants to revisit its procurement strategy for personal protective
equipment (PPE) for its employees amid COVID-19. To this end, it wants to evaluate the various procurement
channels/suppliers and sourcing best practices to optimise spend

Project Objective
Hypothetical Scenario: At present, the client sources PPE (face masks, protective clothing, face
shield/goggles, gloves, etc.) from a leading local supplier/manufacturer. Given the current COVID-19 situation
and its immediate needs, the company wants to better understand the PPE market in the UK, key suppliers,
impact of COVID-19 and various sourcing options to define an effective procurement strategy. You have been
hired as a consultant to advise on these aspects with focus on the following:

 Overview of the PPE market in the UK

 Market size and growth outlook
 Demand–supply dynamics
 Product segments of PPE that will be most impacted due to COVID-19 in terms of demand and prices
 Market drivers and risks
 Regulatory changes
 Supply chain and bottlenecks across the supply chain
 Key market trends
 Are any new players entering the market?
 What are the key innovations in the market and associated implications for the client?
 Overview of the PPE supplier landscape
 What types of players operate in the UK market?
 Which are the leading players in the UK that the client can consider? What factors should be considered while
shortlisting suppliers?
 Which other countries could be preferred sourcing destinations for the client and why?
 Ways to manage PPE spend
 What are the possible buying channels/options for the client?
 What strategies/initiatives can the client take to optimise its spend on PPE?

The report will be presented to the executive team directly, and hence must be to the point, intelligible,
readable and limited to 8–10 slides

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